ToughSkin: Monster Truck Tire for iPhone

When I finally decided to replace my BlackBerry with an iPhone (and, of course switch from Verizon to AT&T—such a difficult decision), a friend (let’s call her Lindsay) recommended I get a Speck case for my new 3GS. She had the fitted soft fabric on a hard shell. But I wanted something more rugged. So when I finally made the switch and had the device in-hand, Speck threw a new ToughSkin case my way for review. I was more than impressed.

Speck ToughSkin / Image courtesy Speck Products

As far as the look and feel, this is currently my favorite iPhone case. It’s like putting a monster truck tire on your iPhone. ToughSkin is thick (but not too thick) yet lightweight and extremely durable. And from what I hear, it can withstand quite a bit of abuse. I’ll have to take the reviews at their word because I’m not dropping my iPhone on the sidewalk as a test. Nor am I flinging it across a parking lot to see if the ToughSkin protects it. I’m just going to rest easy knowing if I do lose control, it’s probably going to be OK.

The design is such that you won’t have any problems accessing the buttons and controls, although you do have to press pretty hard to activate the home screen button. The bottom of the case hinges back for easy docking and the removable holster/belt clip offers the freedom to carry your iPhone however you please. That being said, I will never use the holster/belt clip, but I appreciate the option.

The only complaint I have about the ToughSkin is it has a tendency to collect debris and dust very easily. As soon as I pulled it from my jacket pocket for the first time, it was covered with specks (no pun intended) and pocket lint. So if this bothers you, you might want to reconsider. Otherwise, this rugged case is as good as it gets—especially if you live a reckless lifestyle or have a tendency to fumble.

ToughSkin works on the iPhone 3G or 3GS. It only comes in one color—black—because, c’mon, what other color works for a monster truck tire? Retail price is $34.95. www.speckproducts.com